Breadcrumb

William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II

Scene II

Capulet's orchard

Enter Romeo

Romeo

He jests at scars that never felt a wound.

Juliet appears above at a window

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,Who is already sick and pale with grief,That thou her maid art far more fair than she:Be not her maid, since she is envious;Her vestal livery is but sick and greenAnd none but fools do wear it; cast it off.It is my lady, O, it is my love!O, that she knew she were!She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?Her eye discourses; I will answer it.I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks:Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,Having some business, do entreat her eyesTo twinkle in their spheres till they return.What if her eyes were there, they in her head?The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heavenWould through the airy region stream so brightThat birds would sing and think it were not night.See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!O, that I were a glove upon that hand,That I might touch that cheek!

Juliet

Ay me!

Romeo

She speaks:O, speak again, bright angel! for thou artAs glorious to this night, being o'er my headAs is a winged messenger of heavenUnto the white-upturned wondering eyesOf mortals that fall back to gaze on himWhen he bestrides the lazy-pacing cloudsAnd sails upon the bosom of the air.

Juliet

Romeo

Aside

Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

Juliet

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,Nor arm, nor face, nor any other partBelonging to a man. O, be some other name!What's in a name? that which we call a roseBy any other name would smell as sweet;So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,Retain that dear perfection which he owesWithout that title. Romeo, doff thy name,And for that name which is no part of theeTake all myself.

Romeo

I take thee at thy word:Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Juliet

What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in nightSo stumblest on my counsel?

Romeo

By a nameI know not how to tell thee who I am:My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,Because it is an enemy to thee;Had I it written, I would tear the word.

Juliet

My ears have not yet drunk a hundred wordsOf that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound:Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?

Romeo

Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike.

Juliet

How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,And the place death, considering who thou art,If any of my kinsmen find thee here.

Romeo

With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls;For stony limits cannot hold love out,And what love can do that dares love attempt;Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me.

Juliet

If they do see thee, they will murder thee.

Romeo

Alack, there lies more peril in thine eyeThan twenty of their swords: look thou but sweet,And I am proof against their enmity.

Juliet

I would not for the world they saw thee here.

Romeo

I have night's cloak to hide me from their sight;And but thou love me, let them find me here:My life were better ended by their hate,Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

Juliet

By whose direction found'st thou out this place?

Romeo

By love, who first did prompt me to inquire;He lent me counsel and I lent him eyes.I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as farAs that vast shore wash'd with the farthest sea,I would adventure for such merchandise.

Juliet

Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face,Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheekFor that which thou hast heard me speak to-nightFain would I dwell on form, fain, fain denyWhat I have spoke: but farewell compliment!Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,'And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear'st,Thou mayst prove false; at lovers' perjuriesThen say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won,I'll frown and be perverse an say thee nay,So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world.In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,And therefore thou mayst think my 'havior light:But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more trueThan those that have more cunning to be strange.I should have been more strange, I must confess,But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware,My true love's passion: therefore pardon me,And not impute this yielding to light love,Which the dark night hath so discovered.

Romeo

Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swearThat tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops—

Juliet

O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,That monthly changes in her circled orb,Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

Romeo

What shall I swear by?

Juliet

Do not swear at all;Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,Which is the god of my idolatry,And I'll believe thee.

Romeo

If my heart's dear love—

Juliet

Well, do not swear: although I joy in thee,I have no joy of this contract to-night:It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;Too like the lightning, which doth cease to beEre one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night!This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.Good night, good night! as sweet repose and restCome to thy heart as that within my breast!

Romeo

O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

Juliet

What satisfaction canst thou have to-night?

Romeo

The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.

Juliet

I gave thee mine before thou didst request it:And yet I would it were to give again.

Romeo

Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what purpose, love?

Juliet

But to be frank, and give it thee again.And yet I wish but for the thing I have:My bounty is as boundless as the sea,My love as deep; the more I give to thee,The more I have, for both are infinite.

Nurse calls within

I hear some noise within; dear love, adieu!Anon, good nurse! Sweet Montague, be true.Stay but a little, I will come again.

Exit, above

Romeo

O blessed, blessed night! I am afeard.Being in night, all this is but a dream,Too flattering-sweet to be substantial.

Re-enter Juliet, above

Juliet

Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.If that thy bent of love be honourable,Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow,By one that I'll procure to come to thee,Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite;And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll layAnd follow thee my lord throughout the world.

Nurse

Within

Madam!

Juliet

I come, anon.—But if thou mean'st not well,I do beseech thee—

Nurse

Within

Madam!

Juliet

By and by, I come:—To cease thy suit, and leave me to my grief:To-morrow will I send.

Romeo

So thrive my soul—

Juliet

A thousand times good night!

Exit, above

Romeo

A thousand times the worse, to want thy light.Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books,But love from love, toward school with heavy looks. [Retiring]

Re-enter Juliet, above

Juliet

Hist! Romeo, hist! O, for a falconer's voice,To lure this tassel-gentle back again!Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud;Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies,And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine,With repetition of my Romeo's name.

Romeo

It is my soul that calls upon my name:How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,Like softest music to attending ears!

Juliet

Romeo!

Romeo

My dear?

Juliet

At what o'clock to-morrowShall I send to thee?

Romeo

At the hour of nine.

Juliet

I will not fail: 'tis twenty years till then.I have forgot why I did call thee back.

Romeo

Let me stand here till thou remember it.

Juliet

I shall forget, to have thee still stand there,Remembering how I love thy company.

Romeo

And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget,Forgetting any other home but this.

Juliet

'Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone:And yet no further than a wanton's bird;Who lets it hop a little from her hand,Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,And with a silk thread plucks it back again,So loving-jealous of his liberty.

Romeo

I would I were thy bird.

Juliet

Sweet, so would I:Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow,That I shall say good night till it be morrow.

Exit above

Romeo

Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast!Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest!Hence will I to my ghostly father's cell,His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell.